Reading a Burke novel isn't like reading a normal book. It's a comfort food, not a gourmet treat. I got the comfort I was seeking. The series is reliable that way. You get a foreground of intense but damaged love, the kind of intensity that requires the damage to prove its depth, in a background of a cynicism that feels more like reality than reality itself. You get the only kind of justice available in such an environment. You ignore the flaws and go for the feelings. If you can soak a while in this, you'll be glad you did. If you can't, I feel sorry for you.